Its not just producers here facing tough weather patterns, other parts of the world are bracing for El Nino, which U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says is officially underway.
Meteorologists are expecting this extreme weather pattern to bring record-high temperatures worldwide. The natural climate phenomenon can also fuel tropical cyclones in the Pacific and increases rainfall and flood risks in the Americas and other parts of the world.
A recent study in the journal Science warned this year’s El Nino could lead to $3 trillion in global economic loss and decimate ag production.
“Our results highlight the sensitivity of the economy to climate variability independent of warming and the potential for future losses due to anthropogenic intensification of such variability,” researchers said in the report.
On average, El Nino lasts nine months to a year. The last three years, the world’s weather was dictated by El Nina, which provides more consistent cooler weather patterns.
